Composition for ornamental brick



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. ANDERSON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

COMPOSITION FOR ORNAMENTAL BRICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,253, dated March25, 1890.

Original application filed November 26, 1888, Serial No. 291,930.Divided and this application filed December 21, 1888. Renewed March 1,1890. Serial No. 342,208. (No specimens.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMEs C. ANDERSON, a

v citizen of the United States, residing at Highland Park,in the countyof Lake and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Composition for the Manufacture of Ornamental Brick; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of saidinvention.

My invention relates to a composition of matter for the manufacture ofornamental bricks for architectural and other purposes; and the objectof my invention is to produce bricks of a highly-ornamental character,having the main body to present the appearance and character of copper,showing the actual dross of the metal upon the surface thereof in theform of spots or blotches.

In carrying out my invention and to produce the best results a pure clayis used in which there is none or practically none of the metallicoxides, and which in its natural state will burn to a white orslightly-buff color. The clay is reduced to a fine dry powderedcondition by any suitable mechanical means, and to each one hundred(100) parts I add five (5) parts of copper in a finely-divided orcomminuted condition in the form of coarse filings or sawings or finechippings and intimately mix the same With the previously-prepared claypowder, so as to form a homogeneous mass. The clay andfinely-disintegrated copper thus prepared are subjected to an intensepressure while in a dry state in suitable molds to bring them to thedesired form and to eliminate the air therefrom. The bricks, blocks, orother shapes thus formed are now placed in a suitable kiln and fired toa degree of heat which will burn the brick to the desired hardness andfuse the metal, causing it to impart its color to the main body of thebrick, and at the same time deposit the dross of the metal on thesurface of the brick in the shape of spots or blotches.

The different shades of color in the main body of the brick may bevaried by changing the proportions of comminuted copper mixed with theclay; or other effects may be obtained by using a small portion of themetallic oxides in a finely-powdered condition, thoroughly incorporatedwith the clay in the. dry state, as described in my patent, No. 262,339,of August 8,1882, before mixing the clay-mass with the finely-dividedcopper.

Bricks produced by the composition just described will be found to havethe actual appearance of a. beautiful copper metal, as Well as topossess much of the characteristics of copper metal in body texture. Themetals are not oxidized, but fused within the clay body in the metallicstate by the burning process and remain in said bodies as metals. Thecolor imparted to the brick does not exhibit the color of the oxides ofthe metal, but the color of the metal itself and the melted drosses ofthe metal, which metal colors and drosses go to make up the distinctivecharacter of the brick claimed.

I am aware that it is not new to use the oxides of metal to give colorto brick, and such I do not claim.

This application is a division of an application filed by me November26, 1888, Serial No. 291,930, and in said application I have claimed thebrick.

\Vhat I claim is A composition for the manufacture of brick, consistingof clay and copper, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

J. C. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

J F. ANDERSON, CHARLES B. McOoY.

